Written by: Camila Larrea, Project Coordinator, and Diego Rueda, Head of Income Growth Programs in Colombia.
Transforming the economy through productive and financial inclusion
In Colombia’s Caribbean region, more than 240 women entrepreneurs have found a pathway for transformation for their lives and communities through the Women and More Productive Businesses program, led by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Tourism and Colombia Productiva. Many of them are survivors of armed conflict or forced displacement and, with the support of Fundación Capital and Fundación Promigas, have strengthened their business and financial skills. Through specialized training and access to productive tools, the program promotes their economic autonomy and strengthens the sustainability of their businesses, generating a direct impact on the local economy.
Diagnosis: a challenging reality with high potential for change
The women participants came from contexts characterized by informal business practices, limited access to financial products, dependence on informal sources of credit such as payday loans, and an unequal burden of care responsibilities. Added to this are the psychosocial impacts of armed conflict and gender-based violence.
Given this reality, the program set out to develop personalized support processes that would enable each woman to develop strategies in line with her abilities, goals, and living conditions.
Intervention model: comprehensive support with a differentiated approach
The methodology implemented combined technical assistance for business strengthening with group sessions focused on psychosocial well-being. A standardized approach was avoided, and instead, adaptive processes were designed to respond to the specific needs of each woman and each business. All initially received an assessment of gender gaps and financial needs, and from there, a personalized support plan that included:
- Comprehensive training: workshops and mentoring that strengthen entrepreneurs' business skills, boosting their confidence and vision for the future.
- Financial inclusion: access to financial instruments (microloans, savings accounts) and digital tools to manage their income and plan for business expansion.
- Support: personalized advice with flexible hours, ensuring a close relationship that respects your cultural and social context. A focus on family and community co-responsibility was promoted, which is essential for the sustainability of women-led businesses.
Main results: economic autonomy with positive indicators
Among the most significant results of the program are:
Incremento de ingresos
El 100 % de las participantes aumentó sus ingresos, muchas de ellas duplicándolos, a partir de mejoras en la gestión de sus negocios.
Digital financial inclusion
More than 90% adopted digital tools such as e-wallets, QR codes, and digital accounting records.
Informal debt
No participant returned to using informal credit, demonstrating improved financial planning and access to formal alternatives.
Skills strengthening
Competencies such as leadership, negotiation, time management, and decision-making were strengthened.
Recognition of gender barriers
Women identified how gender-based violence and social norms limit their economic growth, generating commitments for transformation.
Key lessons: trust, dignity, and sustainability
The program's results show that when you trust in the potential of women entrepreneurs, you can make a deep and lasting impact. Each business that's been strengthened shows the path they've taken toward greater economic independence, using financial tools based on their own decisions. The program showed that financial inclusion makes sense when it starts with personal recognition and building trust among women themselves.
Economic autonomy is strengthened when a woman recognizes herself as an entrepreneur, makes informed decisions, integrates financial tools, and affirms her role as an income generator.
Close, contextualized support is essential: understanding local realities and establishing horizontal relationships strengthens transformation processes.
When you invest in and support women in their economic endeavors, individual progress has a positive impact on their families, communities, and local economies.
Scaling what works: towards new partnerships for women's empowerment
Women and More Productive Businesses demonstrates that it is possible to achieve sustainable results using models that combine business strengthening with psychosocial support. With positive indicators, validated learnings, and a replicable methodology, the next step is to scale up this experience to new communities.
At Fundación Capital, we invite local governments, financial institutions, cooperation agencies, and the private sector to build partnerships that allow this strategy to be adapted to new communities, recognizing their contexts and lessons learned. Replicating the formula in other communities promises to multiply the impact of these initiatives. These stories inspire confidence in the results: they are proof that investing in women means investing in the comprehensive development of their families and regions, closing social and economic gaps in a sustainable manner.
Every strengthened business represents a story of resilience turned into development. And every woman who consolidates her economic autonomy is proof that another economy is possible: one that begins with trust.
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